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Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: Fawcett Publications, Romance Comics
The Debut of Fawcett's Romantic Secrets #1, Up for Auction
Fawcett took over the romance comics business in 1949, launching an incredible nine romance titles that year including Romantic Secrets #1.
Article Summary
- Fawcett launched nine romance titles in 1949, including Romantic Secrets #1.
- Romantic Secrets #1 features complex stories and photo covers.
- Only five CGC copies exist, with one at auction as a CGC 4.5 grade.
- 1949 issue includes various love stories and a Ray Milland pin-up.
Riding high in the wake of their debut romance title Sweethearts, Fawcett launched a staggering nine romance titles in 1949 including Life Story, Cowboy Love, Exciting Romances, Love Memories, Romantic Story, Romantic Western, Sweetheart Diary, True Confidences, and Romantic Secrets. Fawcett became the #1 publisher of comic book romance that year, with all of those titles featuring photo covers.
Fawcett romance comics, especially the early stuff, were known to have more "complex" stories than some of their competition, which is why they still hold up on the aftermarket. There are only five copies of Romantic Secrets #1 on the CGC census, with only two copies higher than this CGC 4.5 up for auction.
Do You Have Any Romantic Secrets?
Romantic Secrets #1 (Fawcett Publications, 1949) CGC VG+ 4.5 Cream to off-white pages. Photo cover. Overstreet 2023 VG 4.0 value = $42. CGC census 1/24: 1 in 4.5, 3 higher. Stories and art by Edd Ashe, King Ward, and Al Carreno. After a mishap on a store escalator, "Boots" meets handsome doctor Larry, but she dreads taking him home to her large and disorderly family. Doris doesn't believe in the kind of love they talk about in the romance novels, until she meets Bob and literally gets weak in the knees. Switchboard operator Elissa falls for telephone lineman Lennie, in a story with some great art of a 1940s red convertible. Plus a pin-up of screen legend Ray Milland, star of The Lost Weekend and future star of X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes. Short Wait for Paradise; Superstitious!; A Tearful Illusion; The Unforgiving Heart; Rendezvous of the Heart; Glamour Girl; Romantic Secrets' Star of the Month: Ray Milland. 48 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.
There's a copy of Romantic Secrets #1 up for auction in the 2024 February 29 – March 1 Golden Age Romance Featuring Fox Comics & Comic Art Showcase Auction #40258. While you are there, you should look around at the other books taking bids right now, there is some really good and really rare stuff to see.
Affiliates of Bleeding Cool buy from and/or consign to Heritage Auctions.
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